The invention relates to a strap. More particularly, the invention relates an adjustable length strap assembly.
Articles of wear, such as clothing, may include straps or other arrangements for securing the article to a wearer. To allow different persons to use the article and to allow the same user to adjust the comfort and feel of the article, adjustable length straps may be employed to adjustably secure the article to a wearer.
Articles of wear used in snow sports, such as goggles, snow pants, helmets, hats, gloves, coats and boots, have been provided with a wide elastic fabric strip with a length that may be adjusted by moving the elastic band through frictional buckles. Some straps, such as goggle straps, are made of two wide elastic fabric strips, each with an end secured to the goggle frame and the opposite free ends joined to buckle-type portions for connecting them together to secure the goggles to a wearer""s head.
The wide fabric strip with buckles may be difficult to adjust while already on the wearer, particularly with respect to snow sports articles when the user is wearing gloves. Thus, often times one must remove her gloves and then the article to adjust the fit of the article, then put the article back on to adjust the fit, resulting in a trial and error process. Moreover, the inventors herein have recognized that the wide fabric strip band may provide little ventilation when it is placed directly on a wearer.
The inventors have appreciated that the length adjustment, ventilation and/or comfort of an article to be worn may be solved by providing an adjustable length strap having a cord, such as an elastic cord having a shock or bungee cord construction. This arrangement may provide better ventilation, as the cord is not as wide as a conventional fabric band and provides gaps that allow air to flow through. The strap with the cord may also feature a cord lock to assist in adjusting the size of the strap on the wearer.
In one aspect of the invention, a goggle comprises a frame and lens assembly, the assembly being breathable. The goggle further includes an adjustable length strap having at least one elastic cord with first and second ends. The elastic cord is connected to the frame and lens assembly and constructed and arranged to secure the frame and lens assembly to a head of a wearer.
In another aspect of the invention, an adjustable length strap for use with an article comprises at least one elastic cord having first and second ends, and at least one cord lock. The cord lock cooperates with the elastic cord such that the elastic cord is slidable through the cord lock to selectively adjust the length of the strap. The first and second ends of the cord are connected to the article or to the cord lock, or the first end is connected to the cord lock and the second end is connected to the article such that substantially all sections of the cord are under tension during use of the strap.
In another aspect of the invention, an adjustable length strap for use with an article comprises at least one cord having first and second ends and at least one cord lock cooperating with the elastic cord such that at least a portion of the cord is slidable through the cord lock to selectively adjust the length of the strap. At least the first end of the cord is fixed to the cord lock, while the at least one portion is slidable therethrough.
In another aspect of the invention, an adjustable length strap for an article comprises at least one elastic cord having first and second ends; and at least one cord lock cooperating with the elastic cord such that the elastic cord is slidable through the cord lock to selectively adjust the length of the strap. The cord and cord lock lie substantially within a plane that is conformable to a wearer of the article.
In another aspect of the invention, an adjustable length strap for use with an article comprises at least one elastic cord having first and second ends, at least one cord lock cooperates with the elastic cord such that the length of the strap is selectively adjustable by movement of the elastic cord through the cord lock; and a guide provided on the elastic cord. The elastic cord is movable through the guide.
In another aspect of the invention, an adjustable length strap for an article comprises at least one elastic cord having first and second ends, and at least two cord locks separated by a distance and cooperates with the elastic cord such that the elastic cord is slidable through the cord locks. The length of the strap may be adjusted by moving at least one cord lock to vary the distance between the cord locks.
In another aspect of the invention, an adjustable length strap for an article comprises at least two elastic cords having first and second ends, and at least two cord locks cooperating with the elastic cords such that the elastic cords are slidable through the cord locks to adjust the length of the strap. At least the first ends of the elastic cords are fixed to a respective cord lock and at least one segment of each cord passes through at least one cord lock.
In another aspect of the invention, a cord-type strap assembly comprises a first cord portion and a second cord portion. The first end of said first portion overlaps a second end of said second portion. The overlapping portion defines a selectively variable length.
In another aspect of the invention, a strap assembly comprises a cord-type strap having a first portion extending between a first junction and a second junction, and a second portion extending from said second junction towards said first junction. A cord lock is attached to the second portion and is mounted for movement to the first portion. The cord lock is moveable along the first portion towards and away from the first junction to adjust a length of the cord-type strap between the first junction and the second junction.
In another aspect of the invention, a strap assembly comprises a cord-type strap having a first portion extending between a first junction and a second junction, and a second portion extending between a third junction and a fourth junction. The second portion is located between the first junction and the second junction. Adjustment of a length of the second portion causes an adjustment of a length of the first portion. The first portion gets shorter as said second portion gets longer.